Binder for link chains



Sept. 8, 1953 w. CALL BINDER FOR LINK, CHAINS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 4, 1953 i INVENTOR.

50/615022 (all ATTORNEYS Sept. 8, 1953 w. CALL 2,651,089

BINDER FOR LINK CHAINS Fued'sept. 4. 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A-l ronnsvs Patented Sept. 8, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BINDER FOR LINK CHAINS Wilson Call, Oildale, Calif. Application September 4, 1951, Serial No. 245,027 2 Claims. (01. 24-116) This invention isdirected to, and it is a major object to provide, a novel binder or tensioning device for link chains; the invention representing a modification of the chain binder shown in United States Patent No. 2,621,020, dated December 9, 1952.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a binder for link chains. which is efiective to look a chain under relatively great tension; this being accomplished by virtue of the fact that the chain can be adjusted or tightened within the limit of one chain link length.

A further object of the invention is to provide a binder for link chains, as in the preceding paragraph, wherein such efiective tensioning is accomplished and maintained through the medium of a novel locking dog assembly; such assembly including locking dogs for cooperation alternately with the fiatwise links and edgewise links of the chain, whereby the chain can be releasably locked in the device within the limit of one chain length, as aforesaid.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a binder for link chains which is capable of ready manipulation for the tensioning of a chain, which manipulation is bar of unique design.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a binder for link chains which is sturdy and rugged, yet being relatively simple in structure and designed for ease and economy of manufacture.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a practical and reliable binder for link chains, and one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic rear end elevation of a truck showing a load retained thereon by a chain tensioned with one of the present devices.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the device.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevation showing the lower end portion of the pinch bar which is used to manipulate the chain through the device.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged side elevation, mainly in section, showing the device as in use; the central locking dog being in play, and the pinch bar being illustrated in its position of engagement with the chain.

aided by a pinch Fig. 5 is a similar but fragmentary view showing one of the outside locking dogs as in play.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the improved binder or tensioning device for link chains comprises an elongated, heavy-dutybody open from top to bottom in the forward portion and including sides 2 connected at the rearward portion in integral relation by a transverse U-shaped body section 3. 7, p

Rearwardly of the transverse body section 3, the body includes a longitudinally slotted hook 4, and the hook shank 5 extends in integral relation from said body section 3.

In substantial clearance relation ahead of the body section 3 the sides 2 are connected by a cross pin 6, and awide-faced roller I is journaled on said cross pin; the roller having a relatively deep, circumferential groove centrally therein, such groove being indicated at 8.

Immediately above the transverse U-shaped body section 3 there is a cross pin 9 connecting between the sides 2 of the body, and three side by side locking dogs are pivoted on such cross pin 9 and project forwardly therefrom; the central locking dog being indicated at '10, and each of the outside looking dogs being indicated at H.

The locking dogs l0 and II normallylie generally tangentially of the roller 1, and are of a greater length than the distancev from the cross pin 9 to the periphery of, the roller 1 on a line extending directly between said ,cross pin 9 and cross pin 6.

V-shaped leaf springs 12 and I 3, engaged at one end in the transverse U-shaped body section 3, and engaged at the other end with rearwardly projecting end portions of the central locking dog It and outside looking dogs II, respectively, urge said dogs toward theroller 1. Thus, all of the dogs are spring-urged toward-a working position.

When the device is in use it is interposed in a chain M in the manner shown in Fig. .1, and wherein the device is indicated generally at 15. In this embodiment the chain I4 is shown retaining a load [6 on the bed 11 of a-truck IS; the chain being hooked at opposite ends, as at [9 and 20, to the sides of the truck bed.

The chain I4 is engaged with the device l5 as follows:

The chain first passes beneath the roller 1 from below, extends upwardly in engagement with the roller through the body I between the sides 2, and then runs back contra to the direction of entry. From here a loop of the chain extends over the body 2, and at the end of such loop opposite the 3 roller 1 the chain is engaged with the hook 4; one edgewise link extending through the hook slot, while an adjacent flatwise link is disposed above the shank 5 and abuts into the hook.

The body I is thus effectively anchored to one reach of the chain, with the other reach havin a portion turned about the roller '1.

A pinch bar 2! is provided for the purpose of tightening the chain, and such pinch bar includes, at its lower end, a flat shank 22 having a laterally projecting chain link engaging web 23 rigidly secured thereon. The web 23 is somewhat S-shaped in side or edge elevation, and is slotted inwardly from opposite ends, asat 24.

The chain M, at points immediately outwardly of the roller by the placement of edgewise links in the slots 24, with adjacent fiatwise links abutting into the face of the web 23 in the concavities thereof.

Thereafter, b swinging the pinch bar 21 forcefully by hand in the direction indicated by the arrow, the chain is pulled through the device on the roller 1 in a ohain'tensioning direction.

As the chain is pulled through the device on the roller 1, the locking dogs l0 and H are alternately raised to a clearance position and then spring-returned behind the adjacent end of the edgewise links and the fiatwise links, respectively. This occurs by reason of the fact that the inner edges of the central locking dog and outside looking dogs ii are concave, as at 25 and 26, respectively.

The central locking. dog 1.0 is formed, at its outer end, with a concave notch 21 for engagement in matching. and wedging relation with the near end of the immediately adjacent edgewise link 28, while each of the outside looking dogs ii is formed with a relatively smaller concave notch '29 for engagement in wedging relation with the rear end of each immediately adjacent fiatwise link 30. 7

Upon the chain Hiv being turned through the body 2 on the roller 1, the edgewise links 29 ride :into the central groove 8, while the fiatwise links 30 span such groove and bear against the periphery of the roller 1 on opposite sides.

As the chain 14 is worked by the pinch bar '21. through the body 1,, riding on the roller 1 as aforesaid, the edgewise links 28. and flatwise links 30 are engaged, correspondingly and in alternation, by the central locking dog 10 and outside locking dogs H. Thus, at any moment of release of the pressure on the pinch bar 2|, 2. link of the chain is immediately engaged and wedged against the roller so that tensioning adjustment is accomplished within the limit of one chain length link. This is extremely advantageous as it permits the chain to be closely or accurately tensioned on a load, the described locking dog assembly thereafter being efiective to positively but releasably maintain the chain under the set tension.

To release the device, the pinch bar 21 is reengaged with the chain in the manner described, and manipulated until all of the dogs can be manually released, whereupon the chain is permitted to slip through the device, and slacken.

From the foregoing description it will he readily seen that there has been produced such a I, is engaged with the pinch bar device as will substantially fulfill the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful, and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

1. A binder, for a link chain, comprising an elongated body having a chain hook at the rear end anda transverse-axis, centrally circumfereritia'llygrooved roller journaled in the front end 7 portion ofsaid body between its sides, the body being open therethrough between said sides for a distance rearwardly of the roller, and a plurality of locking dogs pivoted for independent movement on a transverse axis in the body between the sides rearwardly of the roller and projecting toward the latter for alternate wedging engagement with corresponding links of a chain which extends about the roller at the rear with the edgewise links traveling in the roller groove and the flatwise links riding the periphery of the roller; one looking dog being formed and disposed to engage the immediately adjacent edgewise link of the chain, and another dog being formed and disposed to engage the immediately adjacent flatwise link.

2. A binder, for a link chain, comprising an elongated body having a chain hook at the rear end and a transverse-axis, centrally circumferentially grooved roller journaled in the front end portion of said body between its sides, the body being open therethrough between said sides for a distance rearwardly oi the roller whereby a chain may extend about said roller at the rear with the edgewise links traveling in the groove and the flatwise links spanning the groove and riding opposite sides of the roller periphery, and three side by side locking dogs pivoted on a transverse axis rearwardly of the roller and projecting toward the latter; said dogs being formed and disposed for wedging engagement of the central dog with the immediately adjacent edgewise link, and wedging engagement of the outside dogs with the immediately adjacent flatwise link when the central dog is disengaged from said edgewise link.

WILSON CALL.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 159,057 Ackerman Jan. 26, 1875 858,240 Werner June 25, 1907 1,181,000 Gregg Apr. 25, 1916 1,488,600 Hulse Apr. 1, 1924 1,537,070 Dixon May 12, 1925 1,963,634 Stahl et a1. June 19, 1934 2,014,201 Field Sept. 10, 1935 2,089,679 Williams Aug. 10, 1937 2,165,377 Henry July 11, 1939 2,387,509 Harris Oct. 23, 1945 2,499,753 Hubbard Mar. 7, 1950 

